Numb
by J. Ashmore
Summary: Death, death, come to me.. with your kiss, you'll set me free.. J/K story with dark themes. Read to find out more. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: When I wrote this, I imagined everyone looking like they did back in the first season, though the situations will be from all seasons. And I think this is going to be a Jack/Karen story, so if you don't like that pairing, stop now! Oh, and I do not own any of these characters or anything related to Will & Grace (though I'd love to own Sean and Megan :P) Hope you all enjoy!_

_A/N: (Nov 2011) I made some revisions thanks to a wonderful reviewer letting me know some of my mistakes in grammar I had throughout the chapters. I would just like to thank all my beautiful reviewers of this story; I cannot tell you how good it makes me feel to know you all enjoyed it and were kind enough to slip me a little review. I hope new readers will enjoy it as much as you all did. Much love!_

**Numb**

She sat alone in one of the spare bedrooms; no one ever came in here. She came here to hide, to be able to express herself behind closed doors like she always did. The tears slowly streamed down her cheeks and onto her frilly silk night robe, soaking into the fabric and drying quickly, never to betray the privacy of the one they came from. No one would believe them, even if they did. They came from Karen Walker, the bitch with no emotions; someone so numb from pills and alcohol that she wouldn't be able to recognize feelings even if they were hidden in her martini glass. She smiled bitterly; let them think what they want. It was much better than them dishing out the pity to her, which had always made her feel belittled.

Stan started hitting her again. It had been at least a year since he laid a hand on her, and she had finally started to take her guard down when it started again. He had come home from a short business trip. Something about how a head executive of one of the companies _Walker, Inc_ owned had almost driven it to bankruptcy and had lost the company millions of dollars. He was angry and walked around with his fists clenched; sweat beading on his red face, yelling all sorts of profanities about how incompetent people could be. She had tried to stay out of his way, knowing that this tantrum could only lead to something bad, but while following him closely- as she was obligated to do, by him, to be a "good wife"- he had turned around abruptly, and they collided. Before she could even utter an apology, a huge fist hit her in the face, almost knocking her down. The dizziness in her head paralyzed her for an instant, and two more blows, one to the ribs, one to the stomach, rocked her tiny body to the ground.

"How many times do I have to tell you to watch where you're going_, _youwhore!" he screamed at her, his face turning almost completely purple by his rage, and left her wounded on the floor. She sat there for minutes on end, trying to put up the wall that would numb her from all emotion; trying to escape this madhouse she called a home, the madman she called a husband, and this mad state they called "living."

She quickly stopped the memory there. She remembered dragging herself up, trying to forget the pain, and gotten dressed for bed. Her side hurt every time she took a breath, and her left cheek was swelling up- a black eye for sure- but she knew he expected her to be in bed with him, and would probably expect some action tonight. The thought made her small body shiver. She wished she could take it all back; her honest love for Stanley, the things she would do to get money to try and spend her depression away, the alcohol, the pills. But she was too caught up in her own numbness to stop on herself. She'd become too dependent on her vices to be able to let go.

When she got married to Stan, she found she trusted him with her whole heart, but then the abuse began, and so did her addictions. She then found herself prancing through life, pretending to be high and mighty, making fun of people, being rude and inconsiderate, all just to push people away, to keep herself from becoming attached. She brainwashed herself into believing trust was a sign of weakness; if one opened their hearts to others, it was an opportunity to get hurt, and Karen couldn't handle the betrayal anymore. The only man she had truly trusted, with just two exceptions, was her father. He was loving, kind, gentle, and wasn't too encouraging of her mother's behavior. When he held her, it was like nothing could hurt her. She loved him so much, then he left her. Heart attack, when she was only 7. Every little thing that reminded her of him split the crack open in her heart just a little more, and then she would drown the pain out with more alcohol and pills. _Oh, Daddy, how I wish you could hold me right now,_ she screamed in her head, another rush of tears fell out of her eyes and burned the skin around the wounded area of her cheek.

Then she thought about her two exceptions: Will and Jack, the two men she finally found she could trust and depend on. Will was always there when she needed him most. She could always depend on him to help fix her problems or just to hear her in the few instances she couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. She may call him names and make fun of him, but she was so glad he was in her life.

Then there was Jackie; her poodle, her other half. The two of them together were the lopsided version of Will and Grace. They both knew it, but wouldn't allow themselves to confirm it out loud. They had an undeniable connection, almost as if their minds were one. He knew how to make her smile when she was hurting, make her laugh when she felt there was no joy in her closed off heart. He made her feel worthy and loved, something that Stan hadn't made her feel in a long time. Sure, their relationship could be called 'inappropriate', considering Karen was married and Jack was gay. All the fondling, kisses, touches, showers and baths together would imply that they were in a relationship, but that was just an over-the-top way the best friends showed their love for each other. With his big, sparkly blue eyes and his kind, open smile, who couldn't love Jack? Who wouldn't want him in their life?

A sudden knock at the door brought her out of her daydreams with a start. She winced as her side screamed out in pain from the involuntary jump.

"Miss Karen?" came the voice of Rosie. "Miss Karen, are you alright?"

Karen smiled slightly, the muscles in her face protesting with dull throbbing. She tried to reposition herself on the bed, but she had been sitting there longer than she thought, and her stomach muscles had tightened since the beating and made it hard for her to do so. "Uh, yeah, Rosario, I'm fine. Just going to head to bed soon," Karen said with her mouse-like voice, a little strained from the pain in her stomach and side. Hopefully Rosario would overlook it, even if she had an uncanny ability to read Karen almost better than anyone else. There was a slight moment of silence, then Karen saw the shadow under the door of Rosie leaving. Karen sighed. How did she end up this way?

….

The door burst open to Will and Grace's apartment. "Mornin' G! Chubb-o!" Jack greeted his friends in his typical, exuberant manner. He made a beeline for the fridge and grabbed the cereal and a bowl, then sat down next to Grace at the table.

"Morning, Jack. What are you going to be up to today?" Will asked, his nose in the newspaper. He was wearing his usual attire: white dress shirt with a tie, and grey trousers. He momentarily looked up from his reading and looked at Jack, who was pouring milk into his cereal bowl and took a bite.

"Not sure! I think I'm going to hang out with Karen today. Go out and do something fun," he said enthusiastically. Anytime he spent with Karen was fun.

"Don't you hang out with Karen every day?" Grace asked, absentmindedly. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt; typical of Grace. "Honestly, Jack, I don't know how you do it." She loved Karen to death, but she had no idea how Jack hung out with her 24/7. Jack nodded his reply and continued devouring his breakfast.

"What are you guys doing today?" he asked, wiping his mouth properly with his napkin. He barely listened to Will say he had some kind of casework to catch up on, and, since it was the weekend, Grace had a lunch planned with her friend Ellen. Their boring lives didn't interest him that much. He finished his cereal and walked up to the kitchen to put his bowl in the sink. "I was thinking me and Karebear would go shopping for a little bit, then head over to the spa and get facials and mani-'s, then maybe watch a movie or something. I wonder what old 'movie of the week' we should watch?" He stood with his hand on his hip and his finger placed at the space above his lip. He was brought out of his thought process by his cell phone ringing. "Hello this is Jack McFarland, and yes, I'm drop dead sexy!" he said in his typical flamboyant fashion, slightly giggling at himself.

"Hey, Poodle!" said Karen from the other line.

"Oh! Hey, Kare! Who's your daddy?" he asked, smiling slightly at their silly game.

"You are, honey!" Karen giggled slightly. He always knew how to make her feel good. "Listen, Jackie, I can't play with you today, I have some.." she paused for half a second "family things to deal with and won't be free for a while." Karen's heart swelled with guilt. She hated lying to her Poodle, but there was no way he could see her in her condition. Her eye was swollen and was a nasty blue/purple, and she couldn't lift her left arm at all. Her left side had a huge bruise on it and the slightest movement made her wince in pain.

Jacks face instantly fell. "But, Karen!" he whined like a child. "I had our day all planned out and it was going to be so perfect! I can't go a day without seeing you, you know this!" He stomped his foot dramatically and sat down with a humph. "Can't I just come over to the manse and hang out until you're not busy?" Karen smiled at Jack's behavior. It was typical of him to try and find a way around things, and it pained her to think that she wouldn't be able to see him today.

"I'm sorry, honey, but that won't work. I'm going to be really busy and won't have any time for anything," she said, her tiny voice sad. "I'll miss you though! The fondling won't be as much fun when you're not here to do it for me!" She giggled.

"Karen, you can't do it without me! I'm supposed to do it!" he continued to whine, a small smile on his face. His smile widened as Karen openly laughed on the other end.

"I know, Poodle. I'll wait, then. When we see each other next, I'll let you fondle _and _French me, okay?" she said, trying to make him feel better.

"Multiple times?" he asked, pretending to be uninterested.

"Sure, honey! Why would I settle for anything less?" Jack didn't know how happy this whole conversation made her feel.

"Yay!" he exclaimed, bouncing up and down on his chair with a silly grin on his face. "Miss you already, Karebear." The sudden seriousness in his voice made Karen choke down the tears she felt burning deep inside her. She took a quick swig of her martini and put on a brave face.

"I miss you, too, my Poodle. I'll call you later," she said as she hit END on her cell phone. She got up slowly from her chair in the private library, instinctively protecting her wounded side, and headed for the connecting full bath that was rarely used. She stepped in front of the mirror and looked at her sad face. It would take another day or so for the swelling to go down enough that she could hide the bruise with makeup. She had become such a pro at it that no one ever noticed her cut lips and numerous bruises on her face from Stan's episodes in the past. She sighed sadly at the woman that started back at her from the mirror. Who would ever want to be her?

Jack put his phone back into his pocket and sighed heavily. Grace and Will looked up at his pouty face.

"What's wrong, Jack? Cruella cancel on you?" said Will, using one of his numerous nicknames for Karen. "Does she have a room full of puppies to kill and make into saddle bags for her maids?" He smiled jokingly at Jack, signaling he didn't mean it. Jack nodded glumly.

"Well, I guess I'm gunna be lazy today," said the now deflated Jack. "Guess I'll go back home and watch that marathon of _Golden Girls_ on _Lifetime_." With that, Jack, hunched over with disappointment, walked out of the apartment.

Grace looked over at Will. "Don't you think it's odd Karen would cancel? I mean, she and Jack do everything together." She and Will exchanged papers at the same time without thinking about it. Will nodded.

"Yeah, Karen hasn't cancelled on Jack in a long time. I wonder what business she has to attend to. Selling Rosario's organs on the black market?" said Will, laughing at himself. He may joke about Karen, but he considered her a trusted friend no matter how extreme she could be. Without a second thought about the subject, both friends turned back to their reading, having no idea what kind of night Karen had had, and what was in store for their friend.

**TBC**

_Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter, I know I haven't been real good with any of my other stories, but hopefully this one won't be like the rest! Please R&R!_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I really, really appreciate them! I hope you enjoy this chapter. I, myself, aren't sure if I like it, so review and tell me what you think!_

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It had been three days since Karen left the manse. It was taking longer to heal than she had originally thought, and she had to call in sick, not like it would be a big problem to Grace for Karen not to be there. Grace voiced a small amount of concern about Karen and why she'd been so distant lately, but Karen put up her wall of defense and robotically shrugged the concern off; Karen said she was always alright, even if deep down inside, her soul was screaming.

She stayed in one of the spare rooms as often as she could, making sure to stay away from Stan and his almost always furious mood. She had no idea what was making him so mad, probably the recent decline in the stock market or some other stupid executive of a daughter company to Walker Inc causing chaos. Either way, she didn't want any more confrontations with him, and only went to their bedroom to sleep after he had already gone to bed. But two times, had he forced her to give him her "services."

Both nights, she had silently cried herself to sleep.

……………………………………….

"Miss Karen, Mr. Walker wanted me to inform you that he left for another business trip, and will be gone a couple days," said Rosario, knocking softly on the door to the third floor guest suite. Karen had been locking herself in there with a few bottles of vodka and rarely left. There was an adjoining bathroom suite that she used to freshen up in the mornings, so she needn't leave the room often. She was so filled with fright about Stan that she hadn't been eating, either. But with the news of Stan's absence, she felt herself smile slowly and sigh with relief. With just those few words, Karen felt free and unoppressed. No more being scared and creeping around her house as if it were a death trap. She could finally relax.

"Oh, thank you, Ro-Ro," replied Karen, looking at the door. She got up out of the overstuffed bed and wrapped her black silk robe around her tiny, curvy body. With a martini glass in hand, she excitedly ran to the door, practically knocking her maid to the floor. "Oh!" Karen exclaimed in surprise. She stood there for half a second, staring at Rosie, who was also giving her a shocked expression. "Well, woman? You think you're being paid to stand there and look scary? Get back to work!" she yelled, holding her head up high and walking away, heading for the kitchen.

Rosie smiled. Karen was back to normal. "Miss Karen," said Rosario. "I should also tell you that Mr. Jack called earlier. He said he misses you and can't wait to see your beautiful face again." Rosie shook her head. The bond Miss Karen and Jack had always puzzled her. It was as if they were two halves of the same soul, yet unable to fully reunite.

Karen stopped mid-step and couldn't help a smile to creep on her face. Oh, how she missed her Poodle! His sparkling blue eyes always seemed to gleam a little more when they were looking at her. His laugh was so infectious that she sometimes found herself laughing so hard she was on her knees doubled over, and she couldn't remember what was so funny. She missed his strong hands holding onto her tiny ones when they walked around Barney's, and how, sometimes, his strong arms would encircle her waist and he would rest his chin on her shoulder, hunched over her protectively. With her Jackie, Karen felt safer than anywhere else. Karen turned around and thanked Rosario with a nod, and continued to the kitchen for some breakfast.

When she walked into the kitchen, she was shocked to see Jack sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal, orange juice, and a newspaper in his hands. He was staring intently at the paper, probably finding all the words that rhymed with some obscure word, like "penis." She slowly backed out of the room, unnoticed, and ran to the nearest bathroom. She looked herself over in the mirror, combing through her short, almost-black hair. She let it fall over her face, contrasting with her flawless, fair skin; her bangs caressing her cheekbones. After her hair was satisfactory, she turned to her face. Her black eye was almost faded away, but her eye was still a little bloodshot from the broken blood vessels. Nothing she could do with that, so she grabbed some concealer from one of the drawers and blended it in with her skin. She stared at herself once more, and a sudden flood of emotions flew through her. Sadness, excitement, pain, anger, resentment, happiness. They all seemed to flow together into a huge wave, trying to knock her steel wall of defense down. Her golden-hazel eyes started to tingle with tears that were never allowed to fall. 'Nice try,' she thought to her emotions. She was stronger than they thought. She had many years to perfect her wall that hid all her emotions, and it'd take a lot more for it to tumble and crash. Her epic breakdown wouldn't happen today.

Karen took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom and back into the kitchen. "Jackie!" she exclaimed, as if it were the first time she had seen him this morning. She ran to him, her heeled slippers clicking on the marble floor. She sat down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him close. He snaked his arms around her waist and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Karebear!! I've missed you!" he said, genuinely. Her hair tickled his face, and he loved how she smelled like fresh strawberries and expensive perfume. The silkiness of her robe made it easy for his hands to slide up and down her back, and he could feel backbones through her robe. "Kare? Have you been eating regularly?" he pulled away from her and looked at her. Karen always was skinnier than an average person, because of her height, but now she seemed just a little underweight, like she'd been skipping meals for the past couple days. Karen tried to avert the subject away from the obvious.

"I've missed you too, Poodle! I was going to insane here at the manse all by my lonesome. But guess what, honey?" she said with obvious joy. "Stan's away on business for a couple of days! Let's go do something fun!" Her excitement caused her to shift around a lot, and she would be lying if she said she didn't in some way enjoy it. She knew and respected the fact that she loved Jack in a little different way than he could ever love her. He was gay, and she understood that one was born that way; they didn't choose that way of life. It made her sad knowing they couldn't ever truly be together, but she had accepted that knowledge a long time ago. Now, whenever they would touch each other in almost inappropriate ways, or he would ask if he could kiss her, she'd put up her defenses so her heart wouldn't feel the pain she knew would rip it apart. She was more than happy to just have him as her other half.

Jack's brows furrowed together, and he used his almost amusing scolding voice. "Karen," he started. "I know you as well as I know myself. Why do you still try to evade my questions?" He sat there, staring at her. Even when she was sitting on his lap, he was a bit taller than her. Her hands started toying with the hair at the nape of his neck, almost unconsciously. She knew Jack would see through her defenses. He always could.

"Oh, Jack. I just haven't had the best few days. I guess I got caught up in all the family happenings that I skipped a few meals," she lied. If she just kept her eyes away from his, he would accept it. Even if he could see past her defenses and know when she was feeling down, Karen was still a good liar nonetheless. Jack looked at her questioningly still, his mind trying to figure if what she said was true. He sighed heavily.

"Oh, Karebear. Thinking is hard, sometimes," his shoulders slumped and he looked down at the table, his bottom lip sticking out slightly. Karen giggled softly at his obvious frustration. She knew he didn't say that and mean it literally. He only said it when he was frustrated because he couldn't figure something out. Karen kissed his temple and rested her head against the side of his.

"Don't worry about me, Poodle. Now that you're here, I'm all better!" she quipped in a tender and loving voice. Jack closed his eyes and inhaled her scent once more. Karen knew how to make him feel so great sometimes that he never wanted to leave her side. He was devoted to her, and worshipped the ground her Chanel sling-backs walked on, and without a doubt, he knew the feeling was mutual. One thing he enjoyed about his relationship with Karen was that, even with all the silly physical stuff, they never had to reassure each other on their feelings for one another. It was as if they could read each other's minds and knew that they were a pair for life.

Jack kissed her soft cheek and looked back at the breakfast table. "Well, alright then, Miss Feisty! Let's get some food into you, then go over to Will and Grace's and make fun of their miserable lives!" Jack took a spoonful of cereal from his bowl and brought it up to Karen's lips. She looked at him and smiled mysteriously, and slowly opened her mouth to let him feed her. Jack couldn't help but stare at her gorgeous red lips as they closed over the spoon. So full and luscious, he almost felt jealous of the spoon. He imagined the cold metal sliding over her tongue; the sugary goodness of the cereal making her taste buds sizzle with delight. Her eyes closed, he watched the metal dance across her supple bottom lip, imagining the heat building from the friction. Softly pulling on the spoon, he watched the metal reappear, warm from the heat of her mouth. All too soon, the spoon was in his hand, resting on the table. He wished he could taste the sweetness of her lips, only just enhanced from the sugary cereal. He couldn't deny the not-unpleasant tingling in his lower stomach.

Karen chewed softly, a small droplet of milk making its way out of her rosy lips and down her chin. She swallowed, feeling more alive than she had in a long while, and reached up to wipe away the unwanted moisture when she felt a wet warmth on her face. She softly gasped as Jack's tongue licked away the milk from her chin, slowly making its way to the edge of her lips. Her eyes opened slowly, liquid bronze meeting sky blue, and their faces moved closer ever so slightly. She could feel his breath wash over her face, pushing away all coherent thought. She watched as their lips touched, an explosion of chemicals in her brain rushing down to the now aching part between her legs. This wasn't like their usual kisses. Those were just crazy things they did: experiments, if you will. None of them meant anything. But this kiss was different. There was a tenderness in his lips that had never been there before, a desire in the way his hands moved up and down her back, pulling her closer. She could feel herself being carried away on his obvious desire, enveloping her in pure happiness. Jack slowly teased her lips with his tongue, patiently asking for entrance. At first, she denied it, wanting to be in control of the situation, since her emotions were running wild, but she felt her mouth open up without her consent, and their tongues met in a beautiful dance, each taking in the taste of the other. His tongue gently massaged hers, exploring the recesses of her mouth, and she his. It was exhilarating for both of them.

When they broke for air, both were gasping slightly for oxygen, a mere inch from each other's faces. Jack still held Karen firmly to his chest, his hands dangerously low on her silky robe, and her arms were draped gracefully around his neck. He noticed, amused, that if he looked down, he could see down her silk nightgown at her brilliant chest. She finally pulled back, taking her chest with her, and sat upright, still having her arms loosely around his shoulders. They stared at one another, each replaying the scene in their minds; not wanting to be the first to mention the obvious. Finally, after half a minute, Jack broke the silence.

"I-I'm sorry, Karen. I.. I have no idea what came over me," he said, unsure if he should sound regretful or not. He slowly came to realize he didn't regret it, but wasn't sure how she felt.

"Why, honey? Was it that bad?" she said, feeling slightly hurt. Men had always told her she was a great kisser, but having the most important man ever in her life regret kissing her made her confidence waiver. No matter how close they were, she sometimes felt self-conscious around him, which had never occurred to her with other men. She turned slightly away from him, yet still sitting on his lap. Her wall started to rise.

"No! No, Kare! It wasn't bad at all," he said, instantly feeling bad for what he said. Of course Karen would automatically think about her performance and not about her feelings. He hesitated slightly before continuing. "It possibly was the best kiss I ever had." He looked at her expectantly, trying to see if he was forgiven. She slowly turned her face to him, and her little smile lit up her face.

"Oh, Jackie. What does this mean?" she asked. "I mean, I don't know about you, but I felt it was pretty.. intense." She took a breath and forced her wall to subside. She could be open with Jackie about almost anything. They always tried to be honest with each other, even if Karen was the one who always avoided confrontation when the subject of her feelings came up.

Jack sat there for a second. He felt an unfamiliar feeling when he kissed Karen. He didn't understand it at first, but soon realized what it was: attraction. He was attracted to Karen. That kiss turned him on like no other kiss had before, and the only other people he kissed were men. He was gay, right? Why would a woman turn him on? The thought of heterosexuality disgusted him, but when it came to his relationship with Karen, it was almost appealing. He was jealous of any man who Karen slept with, angry at any man who dared look at her wantingly, and jealous when she looked at a man with obvious desire. He wanted to be everything to Karen, but knew that there was one area he really couldn't. But now, he was questioning himself and his identity he stood by for so long. Was he really that blind to not see the one person made for him was right there, in his arms? He suddenly felt uneasy, almost frightened by the conclusion he just made.

Seeing his eyes narrowed and his mouth pursed, Karen knew he was thinking deeply. She knew she was always attracted to Jack in a way that was only meant for hetero-relationships, so she kept pushing it aside because she knew he was gay, not to mention she was married. A small shiver ran up her spine with the thought about Stan. Jack was momentarily brought out of his pensive state and looked at her, a question in his beautiful blues. She shrugged off his obvious concern. "Well, Jack?" she pursued.

Jack took in a deep breath. "I dunno, Bear." He loved the nickname he gave her. "Why don't we just push it aside for now and give ourselves time to think it over later? I want to go out and do something!" He felt guilty about his obvious enthusiasm to change the subject, something he never really did, but he was very confused. He needed time to digest things. Karen gave him a wary look. She was never one to push a subject, but she felt like this needed to be talked about now. But she nodded and scooted off his lap onto the nearest chair. She slid his bowl away from him and continued to eat it as honestly as she could. She didn't want to be reminded of the dull ache of need between her legs and how she now felt a little hollow inside. He grabbed another bowl and ate, both of them silent.

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**TBC**

_A/N: Woaahh, sorry about how long this took, but I had to rewrite this chapter like 3 times before I finally felt it was ok. I know I cut it off at a somewhat unsatisfactory part, but more excitement and drama is on the way! Please, please, PLEASE review!! =)_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Sorry about the long wait! Rehearsals for the school musical have been killing me lately, so I have no time whatsoever to do anything but sleep and (sometimes) eat! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and there may be some OOC, especially for Karen. But that's the freedom that comes with writing! Woo!!_

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Karen and Jack finished breakfast shortly after, and Karen quickly made it clear that they would pretend nothing happened. She would not allow herself to think about it, about the way his lips felt against hers and left them burning for more when they pulled apart. About how his hands slid dangerously up and down her back, her skin longing for his beneath the thin fabric of her silk robe. About how his hands rubbed her skin alive with passionate desire, taking all her worries away with every loving stroke.

She had to shake her head mentally and discreetly fan herself; she was making matters worse, and could swear the temperature in the room went up about ten degrees. "Rosie!!" she yelled from her bedroom, Jack close behind her. "Quit turning the heat up! I swear, if you do it one more time, I'll send you back to your grass hut village in the Amazon!" Karen wiped her brow with the back of her hand, and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath in and tried to relax. 'Come on, Karen! You never let anything bother you this much, why let something so silly bother you now? Obviously it wasn't anything different than what you and Jack do for fun, so get over yourself!' Karen thought to herself, trying to convince her feelings that the kiss meant nothing and to move on and forget anything ever happened. After all, that was something Karen was a pro at.

Jack noticed how tense Karen seemed. He was also feeling something similar. After his epiphany at breakfast, his mind was racing. He noticed every little move Karen made. The way she tossed her raven hair over her shoulder ever so gently. The way her brows created a tiny crease in between her gorgeous hazel eyes when she was thinking. The way her hips swayed softly back and forth when she walked. How her legs sometimes escaped the confines of her robe, showing off her alabaster skin beautifully. He had to force himself to look away and pretend to be interested in the fibers of the white carpet in Karen's lavish bedroom. He, too, felt the room was boiling hot.

"Hey, Jackie?" asked Karen, walking over to the door of her closet. He sat on the bed and replied without looking at her.

"Yeah, Bear?"

"What do you think I should wear today? I don't feel like picking my own outfit today, and you do such a great job of piecing items together. You know how to dress me better than any designer ever would." She looked at him with such adoration that he had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn't imagining it. Of course Jack occasionally picked out Karen's outfits, but he always had to ask her if he could. Now she was asking him. It seemed almost as if they became closer in that one second, if that was even possible. He smiled at her obvious openness. Even if Karen always tried to forget things happened, she would never allow things to get awkward between her and someone else. It was one trait, among many, that made Karen an incredibly strong and amazing woman.

"Sure, Kare. I'm thinking.." Jack stood up and went to the close door to stand next to Karen. He looked her up and down, mentally deciding what colors and shapes would work together. He and Karen always went shopping together, and even though Karen's wardrobe (and body) would make any Hollywood starlet green with envy, he knew every piece of clothing she owned. He put his pointer finger in the space above his top lip and narrowed his eyes. "I'm thinking," he repeated. "Black pencil skirt, red, fitted cardigan, and black Chanel pumps." He finished with a child-like clap and spun his way into the large recesses of her closet. He picked out the items, plus a simple diamond necklace, and walked back into the bedroom. He handed Karen the clothing and watched as she walked her little self into the master bathroom to get dressed. He patiently waited, staring at himself in the mirror. His hair was a little askew, possibly from breakfast, so he gently patted his hair into place. "Oh my God, perfect!" he said in his usual excited tone. "Why, Mr. McFarland, you're looking rather smashing tonight." He smiled at himself in the mirror, putting on his most elegant British accent. He rolled his eyes at his own silliness, but continued to speak to himself in that fashion until he heard a high pitched cough.

Karen had watched Jack for a few seconds talking to himself in the mirror. She smiled. Jack's often child-like behavior was always amusing to her, and she often played along with his games simply because she enjoyed him so much. Others call them immature, but children always had an air of innocent happiness about them. The smallest things could make them the happiest kids in the world, an attitude adults seem to forget as they grow older. But not Jackie. He always found things to be happy about, and his attitude was contagious. Karen often found herself influenced by his behavior, and soon was finding the joy in little things again. Jack turned around to look at her, dumbfounded for a second, his mouth agape and eyes wide. He looked so cute. She smiled gently at him. "Am I interrupting something?" she asked, an impish smile tugging at her lips. Jack blushed slightly, looking about uncomfortably. Karen laughed, her high pitched voice sounding like bells in his ears, where others found it annoying.

"Wow, Kare," Jack said, finally taking in her outfit. "You look.. amazing." Karen smiled and turned gracefully turn to show herself off to him. The pencil skirt did wonders to her already perfect legs, the bright red of the cardigan dancing off her porcelain skin beautifully, as if in a dream, and her Chanel pumps elongated her legs and made her tiny feet look adorable. The clothing was also tight fitted, accentuating her curvy hips and lean upper body. She had reapplied her makeup and tousled her hair a bit, making it look messy, but sexy. He went to her, arms stretched out towards her, and she gladly let his strong arms surround her; protecting her in a safe cocoon. She breathed in his scent, and her lips seemed to tingle with longing. Even with her high heels on, she was still many inches shorter than he, and he easily rested his chin on the top of her head. He could smell her hair products, and he wished he could bury himself in her smell forever.

"Thank you, Poodle. You always do a wonderful job. Maybe I should hire you as my permanent designer," she joked, resting her face against his chest, hearing the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat. Jack laughed slightly and hugged her a little tighter, his arms wrapping around her ribcage. At first, things were fine, but soon, a stab of pain ran from her side, shooting up to her shoulder. She gasped in pain and her knees went weak. She rested heavily in Jack's arms, her breathing coming in labored gasps. He instantly loosened his hold her on, and carefully brought her down to the floor, cradling her tiny body in his arms.

"Kare? Karen? Are you alright?" his voice was full of alarm and worry. What could have made her do this? Karen was still gasping in pain, her chest tightening in an all too familiar panic attack. She had forgotten about the injury to her ribcage Stan had inflicted upon her three days ago. It hadn't really bothered her until now, probably because she had locked herself in her room without much movement. But now, the intense throbbing pain in her side made tears spring to her eyes and she tried desperately to keep them at bay. She grabbed a handful of Jack's shirt in her hand and squeezed, pulling him closer to her. He still looked overwhelmed by what was happening, but he kissed Karen's forehead like a loving parent, and rubbed her upper arm with his free hand, trying to soothe her in any way he could. After a few minutes of comforting words and gentle kisses, the pain subsided enough for her to open her tightly closed eyes. Her body was shaking and she felt a little dizzy, but she started to calm down more seeing Jack's sky blue eyes filled with worry. She smiled gently up to him.

"Yeah, Poodle. I'm alright," she said, her voice slightly higher than normal and quivering slightly. She loosened her grip on his shirt, and tried to stand up. Her side protested slightly, but not with the force of before. Jack wasn't sure what just happened, and he kept his hand on her arm, almost as if he were afraid she would break somehow. "I-I'm not sure what that was about." Her voice gave away her lie, but she turned away before he could protest. He watched her slow movements, the way she tried not to move her arms and kept them at her sides, only bending them at the elbows.

Jack became curious as to why his best friend just collapsed in pain. He was sure it was pain; he saw the tears in Karen's eyes. He had only seen her tear up a few times before, and he knew only strong emotions or pain made her barrier crumble. He reached for Karen, slowly turning her around to face him, and quickly lifted up her shirt. She gasped in surprise, wincing slightly, and tried to pull her shirt back down.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Jack? Who do you think you are, my husband?" she quipped, her voice full of venom. But it was too late. Jack took a long intake of breath at what he saw. An ugly green bruise covered the side of her ribs. It was a bit larger than a softball, and was in the shape of a fist. Karen was skinny enough to have her ribs slightly protrude her skin, making the bruise look even worse. He started at it for a minute longer, trying to understand what he was seeing. He then lifted his gaze to Karen's face. She had turned her beautiful face away from him, only her sharp cheekbone visible, her eyes cast downward. A single tear made its way down her face.

"Karen. What happened?" his voice was barely above a whisper, as if there were others in the room who could hear. Her eyes went hard, and she stared him in the face.

"Do I really have to answer that?" He noticeably flinched, her voice like arrows striking him in his heart. He backed away from her slowly, finally piecing the puzzle together. First, she cancels a date with him, which she has never done before. Then, when he sees her, she's lost some weight, looking almost sick, as if she locked herself in her room and quit eating. Rosie being overly happy when he came over, as if relieved. And now, the pain this wound caused her, the way she tried to hide it from him. He even noticed the dark, purple area under her eye, something he wouldn't have noticed unless he was looking for it. How happy she was that Stan wasn't home. It was all coming together.

"Oh my God, Karebear… I'm so sorry." It was all he could say, knowing nothing could take away the pain she was put through for God knows how long. He sat slowly on her plush bed, looking at her with such a heartbroken expression. He had known Karen for a long time, but he had never even thought that Karen was being abused. They were best friends, soul mates, and he never knew, never was there for her when she needed him most. He didn't protect her like he always said he would. Tears fell from his eyes, his arms reaching for her, begging her to forgive him for all his lies and hollow promises.

Karen watched his breakdown. She knew he would feel absolutely lost with guilt. He always said he'd be there for her when she needed him, be the protection she deserved, but he wasn't. But it wasn't his fault. At first, she didn't feel like she deserved protection. She thought she was at fault for the way Stan treated her, he had always said so. If only she were a better wife, he would say, things would be different and he wouldn't have to hit her. But he still did, and after years of brainwashing, Karen finally let go of her guilt and realized it wasn't her fault that he hit her. But she couldn't let go of her pride. Her notorious pride, never letting her admit defeat or pain, never letting her feel emotion, always pushing people who she loved away. Except for Jack. She had kept it a secret so long that if she would have told Jack, things would change between them, and Karen's selfishness got in the way. She now regretted her shallowness so much, a metallic taste settled in her mouth. Karen got down on her knees slowly in front of her sobbing best friend, the person she loved most in the world, and took his hands in hers, pulling them gently toward her.

"Oh, Jack. Don't cry, please. You don't need to feel guilty. I never gave you the chance to help me! All because of my stupid pride." She was choking back sobs, tears that were held back for years falling down her face, her mascara smudging. "You have been the most amazing person to me. You always make me laugh when I want to cry, to smile when I want to shut the world out. You are my sunshine, my spirit. You make me so happy, Jackie. I never, ever want you to feel like you've failed me, because, in truth, I've failed you. I failed to open my cold, dark, dead heart and let you fully in, to let you see me all the way. You may think I've given so much to you, Poodle, but you have given me happiness and love and affection, things I've yearned for since my daddy died, and things I know I deserve from Stan. You are the one and only man in my life, and I wouldn't want it any other way." She finished, feeling her face light up in a genuine smile, and put her fingers under Jack's chin and brought his face up to look at her. His eyes were red and puffy, his lips swollen from crying, and the blue of his eyes made her breath catch in her throat.

Slowly but surely, a smile tugged at his lips, and he was soon beaming back at her. She wiped away his tears, and kissed his forehead, then his nose, and before she could control herself, she kissed his lips softly. He returned the tender kiss, his tongue not entering her mouth, for this was a different kind of passion than their earlier kiss. This one was full of promises, trust, and love. They broke apart, smiles lighting up their faces. He kissed away her tears, and pulled her onto his lap. He gently hugged her, and she giggled with delight at his tenderness.

After a few moments, he broke the silence. "Do you really feel that way, Karen?" Jack asked, honest curiosity in his voice. She nodded.

"Of course, Poodle. You mean the world to me, and I love you very much," she said, her heart hurting a little bit with the truth of her words. Jack seemed to think about this for a second before looking her straight in the eye.

"Karen Walker, you are the most incredible woman I have ever met. You are my best friend, my other half, the one person in this world I know I can be myself around and not be judged for it, but to be loved for it. You are the light of my life, my soul, the reason why I want to wake up in the morning, and the reason why I want to keep living. Without you, I don't know who I would be, but I know I wouldn't be half the person I am today, or half as happy as your beautiful face makes me every time I look at it. I am the luckiest guy in the world, and all because of you." His voice was filled with such devotion, she found herself dabbing at her eyes. Her heart swelled, and she hugged him, not very tightly, but the sentiment was passed between them. How lucky was she to have someone like Jack in her life?

"Thank you, Jack. That really means a lot to me," she replied, looking into his eyes once more. When had they become so blue?

"You're welcome, Karen. You know every word I said was true," he smiled at her and gave her leg a little pat with his hand. "So, are you up for a little visit to our favorite fat, gay man and his bride, Hairzilla?" He smiled his silly smile at her, and she giggled at his joke. She nodded, and got up slowly from his lap. They exited her bedroom and walked down the long haul, turning right and heading down the elaborate staircase hand in hand. She grabbed her favorite black fur coat, one that Jack picked out, grabbed her purse and they walked out the door, a smiling Rosie closing it behind them. They walked out of the building, Jack's hand on the small of Karen's back, and got into the limo together. People who passed them on the street could have mistaken them for a couple deeply in love.

**TBC**

_A/N: So! Whaddya think? Ok, I know it isn't really going anywhere, but if I hadn't had Jack found out about the abuse, this would have been a really long story, and I don't really have the time to commit to a novel! So, please, please, PLEASE review and tell me what you think! Too short? Too boring? Let me know and I'll try to make it interesting again!_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: OMG I'm ssssoo sorry it's taken so long! Got lots of stuff going on! I wanted to give you guys an update, so here you are! Hope you like it!_

….

"Wow, Will, that was amazing!" Jack said, dabbing the sides of his mouth daintily with his napkin. They had just finished eating dinner at Will and Grace's, and everyone was stuffed. All except Karen, that is. She just picked at her food, taking only a few bites, and it went unnoticed by Will and Grace. They were used to seeing Karen only survive on her liquid diet and weren't going to question her lack of appetite for solid food. Jack, however, knew something was bothering her but he didn't want to push the subject just yet.

The past two days had been wonderful for Jack. He had Karen to himself whenever he wanted. They went shopping, went out to eat, shopped some more, and spent a lot of time at the manse watching old movies in the media room. Jack hadn't seen Karen laugh or smile this much in weeks. She was her old self again, and Jack felt like he was the luckiest man in the world to have this woman in his life. They walked hand-in-hand through Central Park, and lay down in the grass together, looking up at the clouds, finding silly pictures, and feeding the birds from a bench near a pond. He thought back to that moment.

"Jackie?" she said, looking deep into his eyes. God, her eyes were so beautiful. Like liquid bronze, burning deep with mystery and passion. This woman amazed him.

"Yeah, Kare?" he responded, throwing their last few breadcrumbs into the water, watching the ducks eating. She leaned forward and turned his face towards hers, gently placing a kiss on his lips, barely letting them touch, but allowing the electricity to tingle her mouth.

"I love you." She said it so pointedly that he stared at her for a second, not processing her emotions behind it. He smiled widely and rested his forehead against hers.

"I love you, too, Karebear."

He was brought back from his musing when the familiar voice of Grace hit his ears. "Yeah, Will, I must admit, you never cook that good for me when it's just us," she whined, having eaten more than any other woman her size could ever stomach. Grace could eat like a very large man, but still stay stick thin, to the surprise of Will, Jack, and Karen. Will rolled his eyes.

"Grace, when it's just you and me, you'd be happy to gnaw on the area rug for dinner," Will said, getting a playful slap from Grace. "Plus," he continued, "you never help when it comes to clean-up!" Will grabbed his and Jack's plate and made a quick beeline for the kitchen before another blow could be given by Grace, who was much stronger than she appeared.

Jack, not paying attention to the odd pair, rubbed his foot up Karen's leg under the table playfully. Karen was brought out of her daze and gave him a small, distracted smile and walked slowly to the couch, not even returning the gesture. Jack's brow furrowed as he watched her sit gently on the couch, resting her elbows on her knees, her head in her hands. He walked over to her and snaked his arm around her waist, gently inviting her to lie against him. He felt her sigh deeply, but nonetheless accept his warm embrace. She leaned back against his chest and laid her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her stomach and rested his head against hers, their hands entwined on his left thigh.

"Would you guys like something to drink?" Will asked, bringing two wine glasses and a bottle of merlot to the living room. He poured two glasses and handed them to Jack and Karen.

"Thank you, honey," Karen said, sipping the smooth liquid and letting it fill her senses. Alcohol always made her feel better. It blurred the edges of her vision and numbed her insides; never allowing her to feel pain or sadness, giving her a rubber wall that can bounce away any kind of emotion that might tingle at the edge of her mind. She never went anywhere without a bottle and glass in her purse; always ready to swallow away her conscience

"So, Kare, you up for it?" asked Grace. Karen looked around at her friend's expectant faces. She must have missed something, but she didn't want to admit that she wasn't paying attention, that her mind got the best of her. Her quick wit came in handy in situations like this.

"Oh, honey, I'm always up," she said, almost bitterly. Grace blinked slowly and shook her head, and got up to go get something. Will went back into the kitchen to finish the last of the dishes.

"Hey, Karebear, you ok?" asked Jack as he rubbed her stomach again, enjoying the feel of her muscles beneath her red cardigan. Karen sighed again, turning her head so that her forehead was pressed against Jack's warm neck. She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. She loved the smell of him.

Taking another deep breath, Karen scooted closer to him before replying. "Oh, Jackie, I guess I'm just a little distracted tonight, that's all." Even before she said it, she knew it was a lame answer, but she didn't know how to explain to him what she was feeling. A long time ago, she promised herself that if she had to be open and honest with one person in her whole life, that person would be Jack. He understood her so much better than anyone else, but still, she had a hard time letting her guard down and verbalising her emotions.

Jack nodded his head, understanding that he had to help her through whatever was going on with her. "Well, what are you distracted about? You barely touched your food at dinner, and you've been really quiet. It's not like you, Kare. Something must be bothering you." He lifted his hand from her stomach and rubbed her upper arm lovingly, almost as if he could rub away her problems.

"Jack.. I'm afraid to go home." Her voice was so soft and so full of sadness and fear, his throat clenched instantly. If Karen Walker was something, vulnerable was not it. Jack was the only person Karen allowed to see her emotions, and only just today had she let him in on her dark secret. He'd seen more emotion from Karen just a few hours ago than almost anyone, and he was unsure if he would be able to be strong enough for her. Karen's life was far from the glamorous, glittery image she put out.

Jack cleared his throat softly. "I know, Kare. I know." He said, unsure of what to say to try to comfort her. She turned her upper body towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head on his chest.

"I just don't want to go home and end up seeing him there, Jack. His flight comes in in a few hours, and he'll expect me to be waiting for him. If I'm not there," she faltered, her voice almost breaking. "If I'm not there, I don't know what he'll do to me." Jack closed his eyes and willed his heart to slow down. He didn't want to think about that either.

"I promise, Karen, I will never let him touch you again." The seriousness of his voice startled him, and he realized what made it so deadly. He was angry at Stan. No, not angry: pissed. He couldn't believe that man didn't realize what an angel he was married to, or how amazing she was. No man should ever lay a hand on a woman, let alone his wife, and certainly not Karen Walker. Jack wouldn't stand for it, not anymore. "Would you like me to take you home so you wouldn't have to be alone?" Jack asked. Seeing the scared expression on her face, he held her tighter. "I'll leave before he gets there. I just want to make sure you'll be ok." Karen looked up at him and smiled.

"I would like that, Poodle," she said, nuzzling deeper into his warm, safe embrace. Jack tightened his grip and started rubbing her left boob, enticing a high-pitched giggle from Karen. He soon was giggling with her, and she pushed away from him slightly and stuck her tongue out at him. He smiled coyly and stuck his out as well, moving his head so their tongues touched. They both lifted their arms up in joy and bounced around, laughing at one of their silly games. Will walked down from the kitchen and rolled his eyes at them.

"Would you guys like a room? You know, Jack, you could take your lady friend over to your apartment and continue this hetero fun there!" Will said, his sarcasm in full swing. Jack gave him a hurt look and crossed his arms, making Karen frown cutely at him for closing off his embrace to her. Jack stood up quickly and stole Will's glass of wine.

"Well, in case you were wondering, Mr. I've-Got-Massive-Love-Handles, me and Karen were just about to leave!" he held his hand out to Karen, who took it and stood up.

"Wait, I thought you guys wanted to play $10,000 Pyramid?" asked Grace, who had just entered the room with the game. "Me and Will were going to have fun kicking your butts!" she whined again, putting the game down on the coffee table.

"Oh, honey, I would love to stay and play this poor people's game with you, but I actually already have a large multiple of $10,000 dollars. And it's real, even!" Karen said, grabbing her coat and purse from the coat stand near the door. "Plus, Stan's coming back tonight and I want to be home when he gets there." The words almost seemed true, even to her.

"Oh, the husband's coming home," said Will, opening the door for the couple. "The one who makes Karen's dilated pupils turn into dollar signs when she looks at him." Will laughed at his little joke, and noticed how Karen looked away from him, obviously upset. "Oh, come on, Karen, you know I'm just joking. But even you have to realize that all you do is spend his money." Karen walked passed him quietly, putting her arms through the sleeves of her coat.

"Yeah, honey, my life is just full of happiness, now isn't it?" she snapped at him, her pace quickening toward the elevator. Her Chanel pumps clacked loudly against the hardwood floor of the hallway.

"Karen, come on! I'm sorry, I was just kidding," Will said, obviously unsettled by her comment. He was only joking, and didn't like thinking that what he said might have upset her, considering he's said much worse to her over the years and she barely batted an eyelash.

"Will, can you just leave it right now?" Jack said, gripping Will's upper forearm. Will looked Jack in the eyes and knew something was wrong. He nodded slowly and backed into his apartment. "See you later, Jack. If you guys need anything, just let me know, alright?" Jack smiled warmly at his friend and nodded. He could always count on Will.

Karen didn't even have the nerve to wait for Jack to get in the elevator. She rode down to the main floor by herself, feeling bad about the way she snapped at Will, but how dare he say those things to her at a time like this. Of course, he had no idea what was going on, but it hit her to the core knowing that that was how people viewed her. A shallow, drunk, gold-digging addict was all she was to people on the outside, and it brought a metallic taste to her mouth. Why did she have to push everyone away?

Outside the building, the crisp air nipped at her cheeks. Fall was finally here. A few minutes later, Jack walked up to Karen and slowly entwined his fingers with her gloved ones, not asking any questions or passing any judgments. He opened the door to the limo for her, and they drove to her penthouse in silence, hands still connected. They walked this way into her building and up the elevator, not saying a word, just enjoying each other's company. When the door opened, they slowly walked toward her front door, and Karen took out her key and opened it.

Darkness greeted them was they walked into the manse. Karen hung her coat on the coat rack next to the door and switched the light on. She then walked forward and placed her purse on the small table in the middle of the room. She looked around, noticing that the light only illuminated a small part of the room, leaving the rest pitch black. She shifted nervously, and kicked off her shoes. Rosie would pick them up later. She turned around and saw Jack standing by the door, looking at her with a small smile.

"What is it, honey? What are you looking at?" she asked in her usual manner, peering around her as if she was missing something. Jack chuckled softly and walked up to her, putting his arms around her waist and lacing his fingers together on her lower back, pulling her closer to him.

"Nothing, Bear, you just look so beautiful tonight," he said honestly, rubbing his nose against hers, giving her an Eskimo kiss. She giggled and turned her face away, trying to get him to stop, but he kept rubbing his nose against her, slowly traveling from below her ear to her neck and then her shoulder. She laughed out loud at his tickling, and started pinching his sides, making him erupt in giggles. They both then started a tickle fight, each of their laughs bouncing off the walls and echoing down the long hallways of the many-roomed mansion. They both stopped soon thereafter, out of breath and wiping tears from their eyes.

"Oh, Jackie, you make me so happy!" Karen said, clutching her side, still fighting a fit of giggles. She stood up and walked into him, hugging him tight around the waist. Jack giggled a few times, but wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Karen, you make me the happiest man in the whole world," he said, kissing her head once again, enjoying the feel of her soft hair against his lips. She pulled away reluctantly from him, and looked up at him. Without her pumps on, she was a good head length shorter than him, the top of her head barely making it to his nose. He thought back to the other morning when they shared a kiss that was so unbelievable, it had been making him rethink his sexuality. "Karen, I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure, honey," Karen said, holding his hands and smiling up at him.

"I need to talk to you about what happened the other morning." Jack took a deep breath, making sure he had Karen's full attention. "Look, we both got carried away and we let our instincts take over, but I wanted to let you know that I don't regret it. We both know I'm gay- 150%- but when I'm with you, Karen, you're all I can think about. I want to wake up and see your face, and go to bed with an image of you in my mind and your body in my arms and never, ever have to let you go. You are a part of me, and I couldn't stand to lose you, and can't stand to think that you're being hurt." Jack moved closer to her and touched her face softly, his fingers following a tear travelling down her face. "I love you, Karen. Maybe not in the way we both wish I could, but I am in love with you. Man or woman, love doesn't discriminate, so why should I?" They both sat there in silence, a few more tears falling from Karen's eyes, when slowly her wall began to crumble and she broke down, sobbing into his shirt. He held her tightly, tears falling from his own eyes. After a few minutes, when she had calmed down enough, she looked up at him, a few hiccups escaping her mouth.

"Oh, J-Jack. I f-feel the same way," she sniffed. "I fell in love with you the moment we touched stomachs all those years ago. The boy who could bring light into my life, even when I saw the storm clouds on the horizon. You are my everything." She gripped his face with her hands, and slowly pulled his lips toward her awaiting ones. The kiss was just as passionate as the one in her kitchen that morning, each of them exploring the other's mouth, lips crashing together in pure desire. His hands wandered up her back then back down again, finding their way under her cardigan. His fingertips burned against her flesh, causing goose bumps to appear from his toes to his scalp. All of his senses were overflowing with information. The way she smelled made his stomach fill with butterflies, and the way she moaned against his mouth made his penis throb with longing.

She pushed herself against him, not wanting to honor the boundaries they put up so long ago. She rubbed her knee against his growing member, causing him to break their kiss to moan loudly, enjoying the pleasure she was bringing him. She took advantage of this and attacked his neck with her lips, nibbling and licking every inch available, causing him to breathe heavier and moan with arousal.

He quickly recovered and removed his hands from her back, slowly pulling off her cardigan and replacing the fabric with his mouth. He enjoyed the taste of her skin, and soon all she was standing in was her skirt and her lacey red bra. He kissed her neck while his hands rubbed her breasts through her bra, causing her to arch her back and allow him better access. He backed her up to the small table, lifting her up into a sitting position. He pushed her skirt up over her hips and placed himself between her legs. She wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him closer, moaning softly when she felt the hardness of him against her. He continued to ravish her skin with his tongue and teeth, her head tilted back; her hair falling behind her like a black waterfall, her face contorted in ecstasy.

Slowly, he undid her bra, and she felt it fall down her shoulders and onto the floor. She looked at him, expecting to see judging eyes roam her body, but all she saw was love in his baby blues. He kissed her neck, making his way down her collar bone and to the top of her breast. He smiled softly as high pitched sighs escaped her kiss-swollen lips and he made his way down to the taut nipple. As he was just about to take it into his mouth greedily, she pushed him away softly.

"Jack," she said, her voice unusually low. She pushed him out of the confines of her legs and moved off the table. She found her bra and put it on, then grabbed her cardigan. She pulled her skirt down, wishing she could still have him wrapped in her legs. She stood up and looked at him. His lips were swollen and red, his face flushed and his eyes dancing. He looked so tantalizingly good, but she had to ignore it. "Jack," she started again. "I'm married, and you're gay. I shouldn't expect so much from you and force you to be something you're not. I'm sorry. And even if my marriage isn't at all perfect, I want to honor the vows I took. I won't break them." Her breath evened out, she pulled her shirt back on and buttoned it up, wishing that he could rip it off of her once again.

He listened to what she said, amazed by her. How could nobody notice how great she was? He looked down at his feet, sorry for leading Karen on, and sorry for almost making her go past her personal boundaries. He would have never forgiven himself, and he had a lot of thinking to do. "I'm sorry, Karen. I wouldn't want you to do anything you don't want to do," he said, gently taking her hand, still standing a good distance away from her, not trusting himself to keep control, especially since his body was still pulsing for her.

"Jack, that's not the problem!" Karen said, frustrated. "The problem is that I _want _to do it! But I know you have your limits, and I have my own. But how do we know if they're keeping us from being truly happy? You know as well as I, Jack, that we were meant to be together one way or the other. How do we know which one is the best way?" She looked at him, the true question showing in her eyes. How do they know that they shouldn't be together in a romantic way, rather than friends skirting the boundaries?

Jack shook his head, not knowing the answer himself to the question that has been burning in his mind for the past two days. "I don't know, Karebear, but right now, I don't think we're in the position to try to figure it out. I know we're not completely happy with the way our relationship is, but at least we _are _happy. Maybe we should just be content with that?" He knew deep down inside that he would never 'just be content' with their relationship, wishing beyond all belief that he didn't have the boundaries he had, but it was the way he was born and he couldn't change that, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. However, Karen was the only woman that ever turned Jack on, and he didn't know how that fit into his life, or how it was even possible. He needed to think about a few things before he could try to figure out what he truly wanted out of their relationship.

Karen smiled up at him. He was right, she was very happy with their relationship. He was the only man she ever needed. "You're right, Jack. We need to step back and realize how lucky we are to even have each other in the first place." She hugged him tightly. "Thank you for bringing me home, Jackie. I just wished that I didn't have to come home at all, that I could spend all my time with you," Karen said, looking around in the darkness, almost as if she could feel someone looking at her. Jack nodded his understanding.

"I know, Karen, I wish the same. I wish you didn't have to come back to this place anymore, to him. It's not safe." Jack wiped a stand of stray hair from her face and rubbed his thumb against her cheekbone, relishing the fact that the light made her skin glow like ivory. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips, the heat of their previous encounter still radiating between them. He took her hand and squeezed it, then walked to the door. "Call me later, ok? Just to let me know you're safe." Karen nodded.

"Love you, Poodle," she said for the second time that day, the trueness of her words ringing in his ears.

"I love you, too. Goodbye, Kare." With that, Jack closed the door behind him, sealing her in the house. She sighed and looked up at the ceiling, willing whatever god was up there to let everything go okay. She turned around to walk up the stairs to her bedroom when a dark figure walked in front of her.

"Who was that, Karen?" came the low, angry voice of her husband, Stanley Walker.

**TBC**

_A/N: Dun dun duunnnnn.. ok, so was it terrible? Did you like it? I'm sorry if there are mistakes or it's not written so well; it's late at night and everything is kind of smooshing together! Please, please, PLEASE review! I enabled anonymous reviews, so you have no excuse for not hitting that green button =)_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Warning: this chapter contains strong language and graphic scenes. Read at your own risk.**_

_Anyways, here's an update for you all! Pretty quick, huh? I know it's short, but a lot happens, so I hope you all like it! And thank you all for the kind reviews! Keep 'em coming, they make my day._

…..

Karen froze in her spot. She looked at the large man in front of her, his eyes sawing through her soul, daring her to oppose him. He took a step forward, causing Karen to take a wary step backwards towards the door where Jack just left. How she wished he was here still.

"Stan," Karen started, her voice visibly shaking. "I-I didn't know you were home. I thought your plane was supposed to land a few hours from now?" As she spoke, he took another step toward her, his large body fully illuminated by the light. He seemed relaxed as he swaggered toward her, full of bravado and confidence, knowing full well he had Karen trapped. His dull brown eyes were the only sign that he was upset; they were burning like the fires of hell, and they were fixed upon Karen.

His sinister laugh echoed around her, enveloping her in a cage of panic. Her knees were shaking, her palms sweaty, and her mind was numb with shock. Her blood ran cold in her veins, making her legs and arms feel heavy and dumb. If she had to run for it, there would be a good chance she would trip over herself. "You thought so, didn't you?" he said, his voice raspy and low. "Well, now you know that you were wrong. So, let me ask you again: Who was that, Karen?" The threat in his voice was very evident.

She backed up again, trying to escape his gaze, trying to force herself to think. How much had he seen? "Stan, you know who that was," she said, surprised by her own ballsyness. He laughed again, stepping even closer to her, now just a mere two feet away. His eyes never left her face, and she felt as if her skin would melt away.

"Karen," he said, his voice going up at the end in a warning. "Don't play coy with me, doll. You know how much that upsets me." He stepped closer and grabbed her upper arms, not allowing her to back away any farther. The force of his grab made her breath in sharply, almost a gasp of pain. She turned her head away from him, trying to cover her face from him with her hair, as if it would make her disappear. He gently let go of her with one hand and reached up to tuck the hair behind her ear, causing her to whimper softly. "So, I see that while I was gone, you've been having a little fun," he continued, roughly rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "Now tell me, in the past two days, how many times have you put out, you dirty slut?"

She would have never seen it coming, even if she'd been facing him fully. He backhanded her with all his might, still holding on to her right upper arm in a bruise-inducing grasp. A small cry of pain escaped her lips and her head was whipped to the left; the right side of her face stinging so badly, tears sprung up in her eyes. She half collapsed from the blow, but Stan held her tiny body up easily, a degrading smile tugging at his lips. He pulled her back up to her feet forcibly, and grabbed her chin and tugged her face towards his; their noses centimeters apart. "You better start answering my questions, Karen, or the least of your problems will be a few cuts and bruises!" Stan yelled at her, causing some of his spit to hit Karen's face, only making the situation more alarming to her.

"Stan! I swear to God I haven't done anything! You saw me with Jack, I pushed him away! I wouldn't ever cheat on you! Please, please believe me!" Karen pleaded with him, her small voice full of fear. Her heart was racing in her ears, every beat sounding like a giant's stomp. Stan wouldn't have any of it. He let go of her arm and kicked her bare feet out from underneath her. Just before she hit the ground, he grabbed her by the hair and yanked her towards the stairs, his 300 pound body easily dragging her 110 pound one. Even with her kicking and screaming and her sharp nails clawing at his hands in her hair, he continued to drag her up every step to the second floor and down every hallway leading to their bedroom.

…

Jack saw the fear in Karen's eyes when he said goodbye to her. His body was still pulsing for her, his skin cried out to have their contact, his lips burning only for her sweet kiss. While in the elevator, he had to press the emergency stop button so he could gather his bearings; his 'little Jack' still at full attention, craving for Karen's warm recesses. Jack chided himself for his behavior with Karen. He should have never pushed her to do something she didn't want to do; never have made her almost cross the lines of her morals.

He knew Karen was loyal to Stan, even if he couldn't understand why. Karen once told Jack about how she walked into her and Stan's bedroom one day, only to find a pair of women's panties on the floor, ones that didn't belong to Karen. She then found the lady belonging to the panties in the bathroom, using Karen's bathrobe. They had had a heated argument, and Karen kicked the woman out, causing another fist fest from Stan. That part she hadn't told Jack.

Exiting the elevator, Jack walked out into the street, nodding at the doorman. He stood in front of her building for a while, thinking about what just happened. He had wanted it, that's for sure. He wanted every part of her; to taste, touch, and love every available piece of her. He wanted to make her feel like she was the most beautiful and desirable woman on the planet; wanted to make her feel the utmost pleasure, enough to make her scream out his name in ecstasy. He wanted to own every part of her, to finally claim what he felt was always his, and scream it out to the world in sighs of pleasure. He didn't care about the fact that he was 'supposed' to be gay. All he knew and cared about was that he was in love with Karen Walker, and she just so happened to be a woman. Maybe this meant he was now bisexual, but he didn't care for labels at the moment.

Just then, he saw Karen's limo down the street a bit. "What the hell?" he said quietly to himself. Wasn't Driver supposed to be picking up Stan at the airport right now? Jack pondered this for a second, unable to piece the puzzle together. Then his face paled, his jaw hung open, his eyes dulled at realization hit him in his soul: Stan was already home. "Oh my fucking God," Jack whispered to himself, paralyzed with terror. He turned back towards Karen's building at a dead sprint.

…

All she could do was scream and kick. He easily threw her into the room, sending her toppling over herself onto the floor. She felt warmness travelling down the back of her neck and down her forehead, slowly creeping over her skin like a burning blanket of truth. She wiped the warmth from her face before it reached her eyes; it was blood. Sure enough, Stan's hands were covered in it, whether it belonged to him or her, it didn't matter.

"Stan, Stan, please. Don't hurt me, please. Let's think about this, okay?" She was gasping out her words, making her sound so pathetic and vulnerable, but she wasn't in the mood or situation to put up her masks. Stan grabbed her again, pulling her so she was on her hands and knees, parallel to his standing body, and kicked her hard in the stomach. The force of the kick caused her teeth to chatter in her skull, making her bite her tongue. The metallic taste of blood was only part of the reason for her incessant gagging; she felt like her insides were being torn apart. Unable to speak, she tried to roll away from him, only to be stopped by Stan dragging her back toward him by her feet.

"Think? You should have thought about thinking when you brought over that faggot and proceeded to have sex with him! What, Karen? Too old for straight men?" Stan barked at her, his face red with fury. He picked Karen up and threw her on the bed, her abdomen in such extreme pain tears were falling freely from her eyes, her face contorted from agonizing pain. "Now you'll pay for your indiscretion. How about we pick up where you two left off?" Stan's evil smile caused Karen's eyes to go wide with terror. For the first time, she let out a legitimate scream, her cry of fear echoing off the walls of the large bedroom. Stan grabbed something out of his dresser drawer and walked toward the bed. Karen tried desperately to run away, to get off the bed, but her stomach pain was debilitating, so she could only muster a few weak attempts to get off the plush bed.

Stan smiled at her and hopped on the bed, it groaning in protest. He grabbed Karen's arms and held them above her head, tying them to the headboard. She kicked her feet at him, trying desperately to escape this situation she knew was soon to be forced upon her. Constant whimpers and cries found their way out of her mouth, filling the room with the sound of pain and fear, her little voice strained and weakened.

Stan positioned himself between her legs, and she took the opportunity to kick him hard in the groin, causing him to double over in pain; a strangled cry slithering out from between his clenched teeth. He lay on top of her, his face between her breasts, taking in sharp breaths to combat the pain she inflicted him. She wriggled her wrists around, tugging and pulling at the restraints, making her wrists feel like they were tearing apart, but she just had to get away. The instinct for survival and self preservation was taking over; adrenaline pumping through her veins. The restraints cut into her alabaster flesh, blood trickling from the wounds. It was an almost grotesque beauty; the contrast of the deep red blood sizzling with life against the death-white beauty of her skin. She kept at her attempted escape, but soon Stan regained his composure, his face purple with rage. He sat up on his knees, still between Karen's legs, and looked at her, his eyes shooting daggers at her.

"Think you can join in this game, Karen?" Stan said, his teeth still clenched. "Too late, bitch, the game has already started!" His fist came down on her face; once, twice, three times. Her vision went black, her brain not able to process the pain, and she flew into unconsciousness. Stan smiled and reached for the zipper of his trousers.

**TBC**

….

_A/N: Woooaaahhh, right? Holy cow this was a very interesting chapter to write, let me tell ya! I know it's very graphic, and I know I cut it off at an unsatisfying place, but I want to keep you all interested! So, tell me what you think and leave me a REVIEW! Vielen Dank!_


	6. Chapter 6

Jack stood in the elevator, pacing back and forth, cursing the metal box for taking so long. His blood was pounding in his ears, his adrenaline pumping through his veins. "Come on, come on!!" Jack urged the elevator on, as if it would speed up on his command. Soon enough, it stopped on Karen's floor and Jack barreled out, flying to the door in record time. He first tried to open it, but it was locked. He stood there, frustrated tears burning his eyes, but then remembered that Karen had given him a key. Feeling stupid, he pulled out his wallet and took the shiny silver key out and shoved it in the lock, barely allowing it to turn before he shoved the door open.

The room was dark, just like it had been before. "Karen?" Jack called out, his voice travelling into the shadows of the room. He stepped farther into the foyer, noticing the table in the middle of the room had been knocked over. He looked around again, turning on his heel to get a better view of the darkness when his shoe stuck slightly to the marble floor. He bent down to look at his shoe and couldn't tell what it was that made his shoe sticky, so he went and turned on the light by the staircase. Soon, both of his shoes were sticky, and he was getting curious. He started to bend over to look at his shoes, when he discovered what the sticky stuff was. On the floor, in scattered droplets, was blood. It was still bright red, meaning it was still fresh, and it certainly hadn't been there when he was here earlier with Karen. "Oh my God!!" Jack cried out in shock. He felt like he was in a horror film. Then Jack noticed the blood was leading in the same direction: up the stairs. He swallowed loudly, hoping to moisten his dry throat, and found himself going up one step at a time into the darkness of the second floor.

…………………………………………..

Stan hiked up Karen's skirt past her hips, positioning himself to enter her when he heard a yell coming from somewhere outside the bedroom. Stan paused a second, listening for another sound. When nothing happened, Stan repositioned himself again, but his curiosity got the better of him. He pushed Karen's legs away from him, her body flopping like a rag doll, and pulled his pants back up. He got off the bed and walked to the door, opening it slowly and peering down both ends of the hallway. He peered back at Karen, bloodied and lifeless, and stepped out of the room, closing the door tightly behind him.

…………………………………………..

Jack stood on the second floor landing, looking around. Where was Karen's bedroom again? Jack came over all the time, but in the darkness, her mansion seemed like a huge black hole, each room leading him to another wing, leading him farther and farther away from the woman he cared most about. He took a step forward, then another, grateful that the floor didn't squeak under his weight. He walked past many doors, each of them either locked or empty, and felt his knees start to shake. Something wasn't right, and he knew it. Sweat prickled on his forehead, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up. Jack turned around and looked behind him into the darkness. It felt like someone was watching him. He shook his head and walked forward, slowly turning himself around. His foot, however, caught in the rug on the floor. Jack tried to catch himself on the small table that was against the left wall, but he knocked down the lamp that rested on it. It smashed to the ground with a crash, glass flying everywhere. Jack pulled himself up and quickly walked away, hoping beyond all reason that no one had heard.

…………………………………………..

He was behind the door on the right, watching the little fairy boy break one of his expensive, yet replaceable, lamps. So he was back, huh? Stan smiled to himself. This was going to be fun. Stan exited the room, following Jack quietly down the hall and watched him hide himself in a room. It was the east Library, the second biggest in the mansion. The bad thing for Jack was, however, it only had one way out, and Stan was now blocking the door.

Stan gripped the handle, his pudgy hand sweaty, and slowly turned the knob. There was no way Jack knew he was here, but if the little faggot found out, he might squeal to someone about Karen's situation and that couldn't happen. Stan knew all about Karen's feelings for her little puppy boy, and knew that somehow, despite the obvious obstacle, Jack felt the same way, and the show in the foyer only cemented his assumptions. No one touched or even dared look at his wife when Stan was with her. He always kept her on a tight leash, never willing to let her go. Any other man would be crazy to do so. Karen was gorgeous; an enigma. She was smart, funny, and damn good at sex, and Stan knew he was lucky to get her. He did everything to brainwash her into believing she cared for him, when in all reality he knew he just flashed his bank account balance and took her in hook, line, and sinker. He owned her now, and no one would ever take her away from him if he had anything to do with it.

Stan peered inside the room through the tiny crack in the door. All the lights were off, so there'd be no way Jack could see him, but Stan's eyes were used to the dark, and he could make out the shadows of the furniture and shelves. He silently entered the room, closing the door behind him without a sound. He paused, trying to hear anything. He could smell the leather-bound books, and it comforted him, allowed him to calm down and focus. There. A small drag on the carpet on his right. Stan smiled. He got him.

…………………………………………..

Jack shuffled his feet one last time, feeling his shoes drag on the carpet floor. His skin was tingling, his hairs on end, his eyes wide with concentration. His breathing came quick and fast, his hands gripping and regripping the fire poker in his hands. With a small cry, Jack jumped forward, swinging the fire poker over his head and bringing it down quickly over the bald head of Stanley Walker. Jack had seen Stan following him in the hallway after he broke the lamp, and quickly made a plan. He went over the fireplace, grabbed the first fire tool he could, and readied himself. He had never done this before, never even fought with another human being physically, but he had to. For Karen. For the love of his life, the fiber of his being. He only wished he knew if she was still alive.

Stan instantly fell to the floor. Jack saw, even in the darkness, blood pooling from the wound on Stan's head, the fire poker still grotesquely stuck in his skull. Jack pulled it out and swung it down once more, then again, letting his anger out on the fat, horrible man at his feet. He felt the warm liquid splatter his face and hands, but he didn't care. Soon, though, his emotions got the best of him, and he dropped the fire poker and fell to his knees, sobbing loud, wracking sobs of frustration and sadness. Jack had killed Stanley Walker, and he almost hated himself for it.

…………………………………………..

Jack entered the large, elaborate master bedroom, gasping at the large red blotches on the white carpet. He reached for the light switch with a shaking hand, but didn't turn the light on; afraid of what he might see. He walked toward the bed, it's large, white, billowy comforter tousled and wrinkled. If he hadn't been looking, he wouldn't have seen her, but there she was, her tiny body twisted at the hips, her legs pointed toward the corner of the room, her head turned away from him. He saw her arms, bloodied and red from the restraints, the blood caked at her elbows and wrists. It was like he wasn't breathing anymore, his emotions so intense and so forward it felt like his body was full of liquid and with each step, it would slosh around, making his limbs heavy and slow.

He slowly got onto the bed, trying not to move too much. He reached toward her, but never touched her, his hand hovering over her body on an invisible bubble. He untied the restraints, but kept them on her wrists, afraid of hurting her more. He reached into his pocket and called 911, giving the dispatcher the address and situation quietly, and then called Will and told him to meet him at Mercy hospital. Will tried to get more information out of him, but Jack just hung up, unable to speak with the large lump of emotion in his throat.

When the paramedics arrived, Jack was still kneeling on the bed next to Karen, his hand still hovering over her body, trying to give her his life, knowing she had none left.

_A/N: I'm so sorry for the wait, everyone! I know it's been way way way too long, but I've been so super busy with the musical and rehearsals and Thespian stuff that I haven't even had time to go on my computer very often! But here it is, and I'm sorry it's so short, but please tell me what you think and review!!_


	7. Final Chapter

_(Note: The words in italics are Karen's thoughts)_

Pain. All she knew was pain. Oh God, she was in so much pain. She had no idea where she was, or barely who she was, but she knew pain. It was the only thing she could focus on. How her skin felt like it was being peeled away, and how her head throbbed like the hooves of a thousand galloping horses. It flooded her mind and filled every crack. She would do anything to stop the pain.

_I want to be numb. Please let me go numb. I'm sick of this pain. The pain of an abusive marriage, the pain of the pills and alcohol, the pain of my past. I want it gone. Gone!_

"Mrs. Walker? Mrs. Walker, can you hear me?" The voice came from somewhere under water. Was she under water?

"Mrs. Walker," said another voice, "do you know where you are? What day is it, can you tell me?"

Days? Yes, there were days! How many days has she felt such pain? It seemed like forever; forever in the fire pit of pain, and it was weighing on her consciousness, on her will to live. The blanket slowly started covering her mind, and she felt her strength lessen, as well as the pain. Her mind smiled. There. The pain is going away.

"We're losing her!" said the underwater voices, their voices panicked.

_Don't panic everyone!_ _The pain is going away. I won't have to feel the pain anymore. Please, don't be afraid. I've never felt so peaceful._

The blanket almost covered her whole mind, blocking out more and more of the pain, and she welcomed it. Why did she ever put up with all the shit she got from Stan, and, better yet, the whole world? Why did she force herself through all the pain, when she could have welcomed death, as she was now, to take all her pain away? Why did she do it?

"Get out of my way!!" screamed a new voice. "Don't touch her!! Karen!!"

This voice was somehow clearer, as if closer to the surface of the water. It was so familiar, but she was too focused on her newfound peace to care.

"Karen! Oh my God, Karen! Please, please come back to me! Come back!" The voice was sobbing.

Inside, Karen was still smiling.

_Death, death.. come to me. With your kiss, you'll set me free. No more pain and no more sadness. Let me be cast into the waters of eternal happiness, and bask in the glory of eternal life, the scars of pain forever gone!_

"Sir, you have to leave! This is no place for visitors; we have a lot of work to do."

"No! I will never leave her! She needs me! Karen! Karen, I love you. I love you so much. More than life, more than air, more than hot gay nerds!! Please, Karebear, wake up. I can't live without you! I won't live if you're not here, by my side… where you belong." The voice was still sobbing, and still very familiar, and the blanket stopped moving.

_Who is that crying? Please, don't cry for me. I'm fine! I'm happy; I'm free from my pain! But, oh, you're still sobbing; still calling out my name and telling me you love me. You love me?_

Just then, it dawned on her. It was Jack! The love of her life, the reason for her being. He was here, begging her to come back to him, to live. But did she want to live? She was on the doorstep to eternal peace, one step away from happiness. Did she want to go back into the darkness and uncertainty of life? Where she could be hurt at any time, and her past could rear its ugly head at her?

"Karen. Karen Karen Karen.. I love you. I love you." Jack was whispering in her ear, softly blowing at the edges of her mind.

Yes. Yes she did want to live. Because of Jack. There was no doubt in her mind that she'd face a million burning fires of pain if only she could be with him. He was her everything.

_Jack.. I'm coming!!_

She had to use all her strength to push the blanket off her mind, to swim to the surface to the bright blue sky. Could she do it? Was she strong enough?

"Wait, we've got a pulse!" cried one of the voices. "She's.. she's coming back!"

Her chest started to heave up and down, and her heart started pumping blood, refueling her body with the liquid of life. Her eyes opened, seeing nothing but shadows. Everything was fuzzy, everything out of focus.

"Kare?" said Jack, leaning close to her bruised and bloody face.

Karen mumbled something, her voice too hoarse to be audible. Jack brushed his thumb against her cheek ever so softly, tears of joy running down his face.

"What did you say, my love?"

Karen opened her eyes as wide as she could get them and stared at those powerful baby blues, the bright blue sky of her life. She smiled.

"You're worth it, Jack. You are so, so worth it." She pushed herself up from the bed, her body protesting with searing shots of pain, and kissed her soul mate, the only man who could keep her pain at bay.

**FIN**

_A/N: It's been a very long time, I know, but please forgive me. I'm so happy (yet sad) to have this story done, and who knows? Maybe there'll be a sequel. Thank you all so very much for reading! Please review._


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